My personal posting philosophy is not to say anything I wouldn't say to that skater/coach/poster's face in person. I know its bothersome when people attack me via voicemail, email or Facebook comments (I work in a job where such an opportunity exists), knowing that those people really wouldn't say that to my face.

So I wouldn't like it if someone told me to quit my job w/o knowing my personal situation, so I avoid doing so here.

Mrs. P - as a "fan" I would never tell someone to retire to their face. But I think for the sake of discussion it's not so much bad-mouthing someone as stating almost the obvious. I do wonder who her advisers are though - her coaches? Her family? Her friends? Is it so difficult to see the proverbial writing on the wall? Nationals is in 2 months? Maybe she wants to erase the memory of her performance at US Nats this year....but if she's not in top form it seems high likely that she'll just create more sad memories.

Mrs. P - as a "fan" I would never tell someone to retire to their face. But I think for the sake of discussion it's not so much bad-mouthing someone as stating almost the obvious. I do wonder who her advisers are though - her coaches? Her family? Her friends? Is it so difficult to see the proverbial writing on the wall? Nationals is in 2 months? Maybe she wants to erase the memory of her performance at US Nats this year....but if she's not in top form it seems high likely that she'll just create more sad memories.

I think it's one thing to speculate whether one has reach their peak -- and perhaps should consider retirement. But there have been armchair coaches/advisers/etc on these boards who act all-knowing when making such comments.

IMO, it's just easier to comment on the skating itself or speculate performance at a future competition -- as RD has done -- rather than make any sweeping statements about one's career decisions. Ultimately, us posters aren't the ones who be be affected by such decisions.

The skaters know as well as the rest of us about the risks of browsing public forums.

That got me to wondering if there is any skater who is so universally liked that he or she would never see a discouraging word on a skating forum. The only one I could think of is maybe Stephane Lambiel.

She'll never withdraw because she has no integrity in that vein, and I'm done defending her about this, but I don't much care anymore since Mirai has a spot. I wish Osmond could get one too but they'll never let her have one and Czisny's spot will go to some bizarre unknown if she does through some miracle withdraw.

I'm sorry to hear that Alissa may not be doing well. I wish her a speedy recovery. Nevertheless, if her health isn't allowing her to compete at the NHK and she and her team know about it, then maybe it's time to assume the withdrawal and let some other skater take that spot.

Champions must rise from the ashes (even if its theirs). Some would say that Kwan should have retired after Nagano, then she gave us three more gloriuos years. Some said that she should have retired after Salt Lake, then she gave us those beautiful National programs. By the time Torino arrive there wasn't much of her left. I bow to her for knowing when to call it quits.

These ladies that are being trashed have given us some good times. They must still believe that there is more fight in them, even if its just one more.

Yes, they should not take GP spots if they don't intent on competing but, I cannot judge them fairly if I don't know all the facts. On this board we assume too much.

That got me to wondering if there is any skater who is so universally liked that he or she would never see a discouraging word on a skating forum. The only one I could think of is maybe Stephane Lambiel.

Edited to add: Then again, his triple Axel was kind of iffy.

I do like Lambiel but I do wonder if he deserved higher pcs consistently than Buttle and his programs arguably did not have the impact of a "great" performance though very very good.

Champions must rise from the ashes (even if its theirs). Some would say that Kwan should have retired after Nagano, then she gave us three more gloriuos years. Some said that she should have retired after Salt Lake, then she gave us those beautiful National programs. By the time Torino arrive there wasn't much of her left. I bow to her for knowing when to call it quits.

These ladies that are being trashed have given us some good times. They must still believe that there is more fight in them, even if its just one more.

Yes, they should not take GP spots if they don't intent on competing but, I cannot judge them fairly if I don't know all the facts. On this board we assume too much.

I think most of us love Kwan and her amazing and consistent skates. However, let's be fair her jumps were not extremely big or powerful and she didn't get the big combos. As for her knowing when to quit I disagree her results and inability to manipulate COP was clear by her world placements as well she sort of petered out at the end and sort of just faded - like to the point we have no idea when she really called it quits.

My personal posting philosophy is not to say anything I would say to that skater/coach/poster's face in person. I know its bothersome when people attack me via voicemail, email or Facebook comments (I work in a job where such an opportunity exists), knowing that those people really wouldn't say that to my face.

So I wouldn't like it if someone told me to quit my job w/o knowing my personal situation, so I avoid doing so here.

Thank you, Mrs. P; I totally agree with you, and cannot believe some of the things I'm reading in this thread!!

As for her knowing when to quit I disagree her results and inability to manipulate COP was clear by her world placements as well she sort of petered out at the end and sort of just faded - like to the point we have no idea when she really called it quits.

Michelle gave everything she had. They had to carry her off the battlefield on her shield.

IMO Kwan didn't know when to call it quits. She was too injured to compete at '06 Nationals (and had been injured for quite some time already at that point) yet she refused to step back and allow another American skater, Sarah Hughes, to be a part of the opening ceremony in Torino, have the thrill of walking behind the flag (sure Sarah eventually got to Torino to compete but it would have been nice if she'd had the whole experience). Michelle had already competed in two Olympics, and yes, we were lucky to see several beautiful performances for the next couple of years. But even after she couldn't compete at Nationals she still wouldn't face reality that her body was "done". I've always been a fan of MK but that decision of hers really bothered me.

[QUOTE=MasterB;678267]Snip. Some would say that Kwan should have retired after Nagano, then she gave us three more gloriuos years. Some said that she should have retired after Salt Lake, then she gave us those beautiful National programs. By the time Torino arrive there wasn't much of her left. I bow to her for knowing when to call it quits.